I have been birding since...well I
can't remember, because I was too young. I do not remember getting my first pair of binoculars or my first birding trip with my dad. It was my father that got me into birding at an early age. I have been birding for over 50 years and have birded in all 50 states and much of Canada. And I have always been smitten by the birding bug. I love to get outside and go find birds. Every trip out is an adventure!

In 1998 I zigzagged across the continent traveling 130,000 miles while trying to hold down a full-time job at a nuclear power plant to try to see as many species of birds in one calendar year as possible. It was an incredible experience passing the 700-species mark; an achievement many birders aspire to in a lifetime. But there was competition. Two other birders, Sandy Komito and Al Levantin also did Big Years the same year as me and also broke the 700-mark. Our competitive quests are documented in the 2004 non-fiction book,
The Big Year", by Pulitzer Prize winning author Mark Obmascik. And unbelievably, Twentieth Century Fox made a full-feature motion picture inspired by the book! It has A-list actors Jack Black, Steve Martin, and Owen Wilson and a really strong support cast. It was produced by Ben Stiller and directed by David Frankel (who also did Marley & Me and The Devil Wears Prada). Worldwide release date was October 14, 2011. It is available now on both DVD & Blu-ray
as well as Netflix and Redbox.

I had the fortunate opportunity to be the Bird Consultant for the movie,
"The Big year." It was filmed in spring and summer of 2010. I was on the set for 3 weeks with many of the actors and crew and got a chance to meet the stars, Jack Black, Steve Martin, and Owen Wilson. It was truly a treat to watch the movie being made and to have a part in the creation of a story for the silver screen.

I currently live in Sugarcreek in the heart of Amish Country in Northeast Ohio.

"A celebration of natural flight saluting the unique winged wildlife
of the Texas Hill Country offering opportunities for
education and entertainment for the whole family."